Ice-creeper.



E. W. FLETCHER.

ICE GREEPER. APRLIUATION FILED JUNE 5, 19Q8.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.'

Zia/615106: ZWIZ Yeitct 1m; "cams PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

EDWARD .w. FLETCHER, oEwoEc 'sTE MASSACHUSETTS.

. ICE-GREEPER.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 23, 1909.

, Application filed June 5, 1908. Serial No. 436,857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at )Vorcester, in the county of fforcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Ice Creeper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an ice creepercapable of general use for all purposes for which ice creepers ordinarily are employed but especially adapted for the rough usage to which such articles are subjected in the harvesting and loading of. ice. 1

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a light construction of ice creeper which can be secured in a simple and convenient manner to every kind of boot or shoe and which will not depend upon any particular construction of the latter for assisting in holding it in position. Also to provide means whereby the spurs may be removed and replaced; means whereby the same con struction can be made to fit shoes or boots of different sizes; and improved means for securing the parts in position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of a complete ice creeper for the heel and toe embodying the features of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof slightly modified, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section showing the invention as formed simply for the heel.

The device preferably comprises a rigid flat heel plate 10 formed of sheet metal or the like, and of sufficient thickness to properly support the weight of aman. It may be cut out at the center to avoid excessive weight. This heel plate is provided with a plurality of spurs 11' made separate from it and riveted through erforations therein so that the spurs can e replaced and renewed in a very simple manner when they are worn out. Setting down on top of the heel plate is a horseshoe shaped back piece 12 formed preferably of thinner sheet metal and bent all around the back and sides of the heel plate so as to form a rigid uide for the heel of the boot or shoe. This ack piece rests on top of the heel plate and is secured thereto by means of integral ears 14 which extend upwardly from the heel plate. These ears are riveted to the back piece. The top of the back piece is preferably curved out at the back to form a slanting edge 15 so as to facilitate placing the creeper in position on the heel of a boot or shoe. Means for holding the device in position is shown in the form of a pair of straps 16 riveted to the back piece and extending upwardly at an angle.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 3, the parts so far may complete the ice-creeper, and it may be used in this simple form for ordinary purposes. When itis desired howlar work it is preferred to provide a toe-plate 20 adapted to receive the ball of the foot and support it. This toe plate is preferably provided With a bottom strengthening strip 21 having spurs 22 thereon fixed through the strip and toe plate by riveting, so as to be removable thesame as the spurs 11 and so as to hold these two members together. At the ends this strip extends upwardly to form ears '23 which. are pivotally connected with links 24, which are in turn pivotally connected with the back piece of the heel part of the cree er. The connection of the cars 23 with the inks 24 is by means of rivets 25 which are adapted to extend through any one of a plurality of sets of perforations 26 in the inks. The additional perforations are pr0- vided for permitting a single construction to be used for two or more different sizes of boots or shoes. In other Words, the length of the device can be varied by pivoting the toe plate to the links at different points.

In order to secure the front end of the ice creeper to the boot or shoe the forward ends of the links 24 are provided with fastening devices shownin the form of apair of straps 27.

It will be seen that the device is simple and light in construction and suitable for the roughest and heaviest usage, and is of such a character that it can be applied to a leather boot, rubber overshoe or boot, felt boot, or in fact any kind of foot-wear. The device, of course, is equally useful for ordinary street wear.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred forms of the invention, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the features shown and described, but

What I do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, an icecreeper comprising a rigid metal heel-plate ever, to use it for harvesting ice, and for simiadapted to support the heel of a boot or shoe, having spurs separate therefrom, and riveted thereto, whereby said spurs may be removed and replaced when worn out, and having integral ears extending upwardly from its outer edges, a vertical bottomless rigid metal backpiece resting directly on the top of said heelplate and bent around the same and secured at its bottom edge all around to said heelplate, and strips extending upwardly at an angle from said heel-piece to hold the icecreeper in position.

2. In an ice-creeper, the combination with the heel-piece, of means secured thereto for holding it in position, links pivotally connected with said heel-piece and located above the bottom thereof, and extending forwardly therefrom and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a toe-plate having upwardly extending ears to which said links are pivotally connected, and means connected with said links forward of the pivotal connection thereof with the toe-plate for holding the toe plate in position.

3. An ice creeper comprising a heel plate, a toe plate having a strip across the bottom thereof having integral upwardly extending earsat the sides, links pivoted to the upwardly extending ears of the strip, and conjecting ears pivoted to said links, said links having a plurality of sets of perforations through which the toe plate may be pivoted thereto to provide for receiving different sized shoes.

5. In an ice-creeper, the combination of a pair of links, straps connected with the front ends of said links, said links having, a plurality of sets of perforations near the front ends thereof, and a toe plate adapted to be connected with said links through any one of .i

said sets of perforations.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I/Vitnesses A. E. FAY, C. FORREST WEssoN. 

